Norton Alternatives
Wednesday, March 22, 2006 by icedevil6 | Discussion: Personal Computing
Ok, I've used Norton Anti-virus since I can remember. It seems like it has become more and more airtight, so much so that now all it does is stop alot of MY processes, halt installations, and pause downloads. It's really become a hassle. I was wondering if Norton was still the best Anti-virus out there and if it wasn't what was. If it is still the best than what else can I try that will keep me safe?
Macafee?
AVG?
Panda?
Any suggestions?
Macafee?
AVG?
Panda?
Any suggestions?
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mr10ace
Reply #3 Thursday, March 23, 2006 12:47 AM
Reply #3 Thursday, March 23, 2006 12:47 AM
Well here's the deal...I agree with you about Norton. I used it for a while but by the time I checked off most of the firewall settings there wasn't much reason for having it. Not to mention the problems with the antivirus setup itself. I've tried many other freebies and payed for a few others and this is what I run with no problems.
1. Windows OneCare
2. AVG. AntiVirus with email scanner
3. WinPatrol
I use these while running the Stardock Programs
Hope this helps?
1. Windows OneCare
2. AVG. AntiVirus with email scanner
3. WinPatrol
I use these while running the Stardock Programs
Hope this helps?
PoSmedley
Reply #4 Thursday, March 23, 2006 1:10 AM
Reply #4 Thursday, March 23, 2006 1:10 AM
AVAST! It's free and it's good. Very customizable as far as settings. Covers P2P, email, messenger, On-Access, and updates as often as 3 times a day. Has bootscan setting and excellent, quickly responsive support even for the free version. And it's skinnable. It also just won SC Magazines Best Anti-Virus software for 2006.
SC MAGAZINE AWARDS..Link
AVAST WINS AWARD...Link
SC MAGAZINE AWARDS..Link
AVAST WINS AWARD...Link
Double Zero
Reply #5 Thursday, March 23, 2006 1:20 AM
LMAO, I am not so certain that it isnt 666, or as some would say 616 (616 as I understand it is the actual "evil" number, I was watching a program on history channel that stated this, I really have no idea)
The program really lacks in the "protection" dept. and if you allow your subscription to run out it really plays havok with your system...
I personally prefer AVG... Avast is good too, as Po' mentioned, I guess it boils down to you trying them and making your own decision...
Good Luck!
Reply #5 Thursday, March 23, 2006 1:20 AM
| It 'may' have been once...back when a bloke called Norton actually owned it...but I think Symantec's address may be 668....the neighbour of the beast.... |
LMAO, I am not so certain that it isnt 666, or as some would say 616 (616 as I understand it is the actual "evil" number, I was watching a program on history channel that stated this, I really have no idea)
The program really lacks in the "protection" dept. and if you allow your subscription to run out it really plays havok with your system...
I personally prefer AVG... Avast is good too, as Po' mentioned, I guess it boils down to you trying them and making your own decision...
Good Luck!
XtremeOne
Reply #6 Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:02 AM
Reply #6 Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:02 AM
Actually, Norton AV stopped being a good antivirus program quite a while ago. If you want a free alternative, try AVAST or AVG. However, for the best AV money can buy, NOD32 IS the clear winner. It's a shame for me to post NOD32 as an "alternative" for Norton, because the difference between the two is unmeasurable.
Cheers, and happy computing!
Cheers, and happy computing!
DooWop
Reply #7 Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:32 AM
Reply #7 Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:32 AM
Norton has devolved into one of those clunky, overreaching umbrella application suites. It's so bloated and autonomous that in my opinion it's giving people a false sense of security; when an app by its very functioning consumes so many CPU cycles and system resources and so severely intrudes upon the user's day-to-day activity, the natural reaction is to shut it down, in part or in full, so you can function. Unless every Norton user has a whole lot of patience, diligence, experience and knowledge about his own security, he is left vulnerable to threats in precisely the ways it's easiest to become a victim.
So what's better? Depends on how you roll, so to speak. If you're a casual user and the PC hasn't become a huge part of your day-to-day affairs, running a single, free, good virus-scanner like AVG Free the way it wants to when you install it will probably cover you just fine, and when you're not going to be at the PC either disable the NIC card or unplug it, best firewall in the goddamn world.
If you do dabble a bit harder and play with bittorrent and share files through IM or whatever with friends, and are getting your money's worth out of your 24-hour broadband connection, you should ramp up to two different virus-scanners and employ them selectively where it counts. You could install AVG and another, like Avast or Panda or ClamWin or BitDefender or Cyberhawk or whatever, and leave scheduled scans up and maybe realtime scanning without much of a performance hit, but making sure to unplug your network connection when you're not there, put both systems on highest alert when you're not there and downloading, and make sure to run full scans on all the infectable files you acquire using both tools before you run them.
Now if you're up another echelon further, and you're into everything, downloading stuff from questionable places, in a position where you might be a target for actual infiltration, you need a dedicated hardware firewall that you can understand the functioning and control of, multiple virus-scanners (still no need to pay; though I'm not familiar enough with others to make recommendations over AVG) whose options you understand and can attend to based on need, something to monitor and control adware/malware/spyware, and a sensibly-secure OS setup depending on your setup and needs. Regular multiply-redundant full backups, constant threat-scanning, thresholding, port/permission/process/signing/registry tools, encrypted storage, secure tunnels and paranoia are all helpful, but do you no real good unless what you're being paranoid about belongs to someone else who's paying you to keep it safe. Scan everything that comes in before you open it; if it's a major install run a full deep scan after it's installed and before you run it; don't even accept emails unless you asked for it or the person told you they were attaching something in advance, use a secure browser like Opera, don't open your files to P2P apps, don't use wireless networking, proxy when you can, and if there's any chance that anyone except you can physically access your rig, lock it down as tight as you can with a dongle, biometric, or other access-control tool.
So what's better? Depends on how you roll, so to speak. If you're a casual user and the PC hasn't become a huge part of your day-to-day affairs, running a single, free, good virus-scanner like AVG Free the way it wants to when you install it will probably cover you just fine, and when you're not going to be at the PC either disable the NIC card or unplug it, best firewall in the goddamn world.
If you do dabble a bit harder and play with bittorrent and share files through IM or whatever with friends, and are getting your money's worth out of your 24-hour broadband connection, you should ramp up to two different virus-scanners and employ them selectively where it counts. You could install AVG and another, like Avast or Panda or ClamWin or BitDefender or Cyberhawk or whatever, and leave scheduled scans up and maybe realtime scanning without much of a performance hit, but making sure to unplug your network connection when you're not there, put both systems on highest alert when you're not there and downloading, and make sure to run full scans on all the infectable files you acquire using both tools before you run them.
Now if you're up another echelon further, and you're into everything, downloading stuff from questionable places, in a position where you might be a target for actual infiltration, you need a dedicated hardware firewall that you can understand the functioning and control of, multiple virus-scanners (still no need to pay; though I'm not familiar enough with others to make recommendations over AVG) whose options you understand and can attend to based on need, something to monitor and control adware/malware/spyware, and a sensibly-secure OS setup depending on your setup and needs. Regular multiply-redundant full backups, constant threat-scanning, thresholding, port/permission/process/signing/registry tools, encrypted storage, secure tunnels and paranoia are all helpful, but do you no real good unless what you're being paranoid about belongs to someone else who's paying you to keep it safe. Scan everything that comes in before you open it; if it's a major install run a full deep scan after it's installed and before you run it; don't even accept emails unless you asked for it or the person told you they were attaching something in advance, use a secure browser like Opera, don't open your files to P2P apps, don't use wireless networking, proxy when you can, and if there's any chance that anyone except you can physically access your rig, lock it down as tight as you can with a dongle, biometric, or other access-control tool.
XX
Reply #8 Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:36 AM
Reply #8 Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:36 AM
Yeah. Norton and macfee does better job than viruses/trojans on task of slowing computer down.
I use AVG and like it. I don't know if it's actually better.
I use AVG and like it. I don't know if it's actually better.
thomassen
Reply #9 Thursday, March 23, 2006 4:00 AM
Reply #9 Thursday, March 23, 2006 4:00 AM
@ DooWop: Do you really want two antivirus software installed on the computer? Couldn't that cause problems?
Jafo
Reply #10 Thursday, March 23, 2006 5:06 AM
Reply #10 Thursday, March 23, 2006 5:06 AM
| Do you really want two antivirus software installed on the computer? Couldn't that cause problems? |
Not always.....I have two AV-specific proggies running, not counting several spyware ones [4].
The two AVs that are happy are AVG [free] and Trend Micro [component of System Suite 6]...
Ausvet
Reply #12 Thursday, March 23, 2006 7:51 AM
Reply #12 Thursday, March 23, 2006 7:51 AM
Trend Micro Internet Suite I find excellent.
Not Panda it conflicts with Windowblinds 5.
Not Panda it conflicts with Windowblinds 5.
Adamness
Reply #14 Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:25 PM
Reply #14 Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:25 PM
Any suggestions for a suite of AV, Firewall and whatever else is needed? I hate having a million different programs running.
Threi
Reply #15 Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:40 PM
Reply #15 Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:40 PM
Bitdefender v8 Free/ v9 Pro (I use v8 free - updates definitions several times per day)
Avast Home/Pro
NOD32
Kapersky
AVG
as for a firewall...i just use a router's hardware firewall - i dont really see much of a point in using a software firewall...
Avast Home/Pro
NOD32
Kapersky
AVG
as for a firewall...i just use a router's hardware firewall - i dont really see much of a point in using a software firewall...
stonehedge
Reply #16 Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:45 PM
Reply #16 Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:45 PM
I am using ZoneAlarm Security Suite, everything I want... A firewall, antivirus, anti-spyware, pop-up blocker, etc, all into one!
Island Dog
Reply #17 Thursday, March 23, 2006 7:56 PM
Reply #17 Thursday, March 23, 2006 7:56 PM
| Any suggestions for a suite of AV, Firewall and whatever else is needed? I hate having a million different programs running. |
Trend Micro.
Double Zero
Reply #18 Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:20 PM
Actually, the free version of ZA and the FW that comes with Windows (especially SP2..SP1 I wouldnt even bother) iss more thyan enough FW protection...
Look, if a hacker realy honestly wants to comprimise your system, S/he will do it, no matter how many FW's your running.. There are just "too many ways to skin the cat" (as the saying goes) From holes in the OS to mostly "User Error"
80% of the time the hackers that are good enough to break through all your defenses dont even care to, and the others that arent good enough yet will give up trying unless you give them a reason to continue & eventually succeed..
Basically all I am saying is spending a ton of money on a "Security suite is utter nonsense when there are free programs out there that will afford you "as good as" if not "better" protection than those "costly", "Bloated" Security suites...
Reply #18 Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:20 PM
| I am using ZoneAlarm |
Actually, the free version of ZA and the FW that comes with Windows (especially SP2..SP1 I wouldnt even bother) iss more thyan enough FW protection...
Look, if a hacker realy honestly wants to comprimise your system, S/he will do it, no matter how many FW's your running.. There are just "too many ways to skin the cat" (as the saying goes) From holes in the OS to mostly "User Error"
80% of the time the hackers that are good enough to break through all your defenses dont even care to, and the others that arent good enough yet will give up trying unless you give them a reason to continue & eventually succeed..
Basically all I am saying is spending a ton of money on a "Security suite is utter nonsense when there are free programs out there that will afford you "as good as" if not "better" protection than those "costly", "Bloated" Security suites...
Kevin_C
Reply #19 Friday, March 24, 2006 9:41 AM
Depends on your level of computer knowledge. If you are fairly knowledgable wrt computers and viruses and how not to get infected you can probably get away with just a good AV program. If however you think you want the full protection, I would suggest the Zone Alarm Suite. I installed it on my sisters machine because she will click on anything once and very frequently gets virii. I set all of the utilities up to run on a schedule, update when necessary and keep her from doing anything that might allow her system to get infected. Then I sat down with her, explained what I had setup, how it worked and what she needed to do to get the most out of her new setup. Here's hoping it works!!
Reply #19 Friday, March 24, 2006 9:41 AM
| Any suggestions for a suite of AV |
Depends on your level of computer knowledge. If you are fairly knowledgable wrt computers and viruses and how not to get infected you can probably get away with just a good AV program. If however you think you want the full protection, I would suggest the Zone Alarm Suite. I installed it on my sisters machine because she will click on anything once and very frequently gets virii. I set all of the utilities up to run on a schedule, update when necessary and keep her from doing anything that might allow her system to get infected. Then I sat down with her, explained what I had setup, how it worked and what she needed to do to get the most out of her new setup. Here's hoping it works!!
Adamness
Reply #20 Friday, March 24, 2006 3:45 PM
Reply #20 Friday, March 24, 2006 3:45 PM
I pretty much know what I'm doing. Never had a virus, and don't think I've ever been infected with spyware. Under normal conditions, I wouldn't be too concerned, but I'm on a college network. And there are a bunch of nerds here would would love to try to get into people's computers and mess things up.
I still use Norton because it came with my computer, and I never had any problems with it. Works well for me, except it being a resource hog. Obviously people are thinking 'What a n00b with Norton!!!111oneone1!!,' but if things work for me, I see no reason to change. Until now that is, when my memory usage is in high demand from Indesign and Illustrator.
I still use Norton because it came with my computer, and I never had any problems with it. Works well for me, except it being a resource hog. Obviously people are thinking 'What a n00b with Norton!!!111oneone1!!,' but if things work for me, I see no reason to change. Until now that is, when my memory usage is in high demand from Indesign and Illustrator.
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Reply #1 Wednesday, March 22, 2006 11:12 PM
It 'may' have been once...back when a bloke called Norton actually owned it...but I think Symantec's address may be 668....the neighbour of the beast....